Andrew Cooke Ceramics
Founder of KookieTiki and based in County Down, Northern Ireland, Andrew Cooke is a ceramic artist whose work fuses sculptural storytelling with technical precision. Formerly a car body repair technician, Andrew transitioned to clay following an arthritis diagnosis—a shift that sparked a deeply personal and rebellious creative practice. He completed his degree in Fine and Applied Art at the University of Ulster in 2012, formalizing his commitment to craft and creative expression.
His pieces range from intricately glazed Tiki mugs and playable ceramic guitars to motorcycle-inspired forms and animalistic sculptures, each infused with narrative and grit. Drawing from his working-class roots and lived experience with neurodivergence, Andrew’s art challenges exclusionary norms in the contemporary craft world. His work is bold, tactile, and unapologetically expressive.
Beyond the studio, Andrew is an educator and advocate for inclusive creativity. His latest venture, Moulding Minds, is a series of hands-on clay workshops designed to spark imagination and confidence in those who’ve never seen themselves as “artistic.” Aimed at neurodivergent individuals, older adults, and those who’ve felt excluded from traditional art spaces, these workshops promote craft as a tool for self-expression, mental wellbeing, and community connection. Moulding Minds invites participants to explore clay not as a luxury or academic pursuit, but as a medium for play, storytelling, and personal growth.
Andrew’s recent exhibition, Animal Instinct at 2 Royal Avenue in Belfast, showcased his evolution as both maker and mentor—reclaiming space for those often overlooked in the art world. Whether sculpting, teaching, or writing, Andrew Cooke Ceramics stands as a testament to resilience, reinvention, and the power of clay to mould not just objects, but minds.